to your health...

vintage
thirst quencher

let's cheers, shall we? to our health. loosing it, all be it temporarily, has been a huge reminder to live each day to the fullest, not taking an ounce of it for granted.

our entire household was hit the stomach bug over the weekend. i'll spare you details, because i know you little lovelies can conjure up plenty of (unsightly) images all on  your own. myself, mr. and little mister all suffered through several days of unpleasant discomfort. i finally feel back to normal today. praise God!

this post is my reminder. to live each day with a grateful heart - for my health and the health of loved ones. i have a new determination not to take it for granted. with this being said...i have a sneaking suspicion that in a day or two, i'll be back to making the same old excuses for not exercising, not being mindful of what i put in my body...not embracing the awesome fact that i'm able-bodied to tackle those projects around the house i deem "heavy lifting" - sigh.  this is discouraging. but He who is in me...is GREAT!

dear heavenly Father, 
thank you for blessing me and my family with our health...and thank you for those times that remind us not to take this gift for granted. please help us to live with an awareness that the health You've given us so generously enables us to do amazing things. please empower us to take full advantage of our abilities and strive towards greatness through your strength...

Blogger Spotlight: The Hidden List

Kelley McCarter Copeland is passionate about being "in the know".  She shares her insight, inspiration and passion for finding all things exceptional on her blog, The Hidden List.

What inspired you to start THL?  Where do you find your hidden gems?

My friends always call me when they need a recommendation for a great restaurant or the perfect gift.  I started reading blogs a few years ago and thought that this would be a great way to share my ideas and journal all of the cool things I find.  I'm a voracious reader of blogs, magazines and inspirational books of all kinds.  I find new interesting things every day just by being aware of my surroundings and always being willing to dig a little deeper to find that special hidden treasure no one else cared about.

on your playlist:
The Civil Wars - love them!

in your purse: my hobo wallet, Tory Burch sunglasses, Bobbi Brown lip pencils and glosses and sometimes my camera

on your nails:  always an American manicure

in your fridge:  tons of whatever fruit is in season and Whole Foods flavored sparkling waters

on your to-do list:  clean out my closet and do a major wardrobe reduction, create an office/studio in the extra bedroom, purchasing a custom-made pillow from The Pillow Bar, buy fabric for my custom-made headboard

beside your bed:
my Bible, iphone charger,
bio oil and bottle of water

your go-to outfit for summer:  comfortable casual dresses...the coolest thing to wear in the Texas heat

current state of mind: hopeful

spot for a steal:  For cool clothing, Cotton Hearts in McKinney - Dorie always has a bargain basket with great stuff!; For my home, all thrift stores and flea markets - There's always a treasure to be found

window-shopping: Barney's New York, at NorthPark, and all Anthropologie stores - all inspirational

coffee table book: 
Jan Shower's
 "Glamorous Rooms"
and "Decorate"
by Holly Becker and
Joanna Copestick

most marked characteristic:  my passion for staying young at heart

1 thing few people know about you:  I can't, nor have I ever been able to, turn a cartwheel.  My mom can't either...I think it's hereditary

dreaming of: another trip to Paris 

your de-stree recipe:  a hot bubble bath

your ideal evening: Listening to great live music in a small venue with someone you love

beverage of choice:  jasmine iced green tea

most overused word or phrase:  Mine?  I think I say "cool' a lot...

your "it" design color
of the moment: grey

biggest source of inspiration:  all creative people who take risks and follow their heart

5 words that describe you:  Thankful, Informative, Creative, Unique, Curious

favorite design blog:  sfgirlbybay started my blog obsession and still continues to be one of my favorites

favorite quote:  "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

splendid all over again...

again & again could quite possibly be Dallas's most beloved, one-of-a-kind, vintage furniture and accessories shop. Owner, Leslie Pritchard, recently opened her new doors in the Dallas Design District, now giving upcycling junkies two options for shopping again & again's selection of timeless treasures.

I first met Pritchard several years ago after purchasing a mid-century coffee table from her shop on Bonita. The perfect size for a bench, I immediately knew I had finally found just the right addition for my entry way...with a few adjustments. That's where Pritchard and her highly skilled team swooped in to help. 

Me: I think I want to lacquer this a shiny, bright white. 

Them: We can do that for you!

Me: And I think I want a tufted, upholstered cushion with piping to go on top.

Them: We've got tons of fabric samples and can even place the order for you!

Me: This is awesome.

Turk's Pisces
Print in
Driftwood

What started out as a quick glance inside this quaint, little house (turned-marketplace for decades-old decor and more) had just morphed into my ideal afternoon. As I looked through dozens of upholstery books, I kept coming back to Trina Turk's indoor/outdoor line. Pritchard was delighted to provide some expert advice and steered me in the direction of Turk's Pisces print in Driftwood. After quoting a price for labor and paint (which was very reasonable), she took measurements of the bench and recommended dimensions for the cushion, which I loved. Based on those dimensions, she placed an order for two and a half yards of fabric. Side note: I think she was just as excited about my little design project as I was - which made the experience all the more splendid. Another side note: Upcycling furniture is addicting. 

All-a-flutter over my new purchase, my mind held me hostage, forcing me to scour my house and hunt down something else in desperate need of new life. It didn't take long. I knew just the place -  our guest bedroom closet. Bingo. Upon returning to pick up my light-brown coffee table (now a glossy, glam white), I brought a couple things with me - a pair of (barfy brown-colored) horse head bookends and a large, wooden pineapple (also a barfy shade of brown, but with an added coat of gold spray-paint just to take it that extra, ugly mile.) Just like the week before, Pritchard was happy to assist with color selection...white paint for the bookends and lemon yellow for the pineapple.  

Within one little month - my fabric arrived, the cushion was custom ordered and all of my dandies were painted shades of lovely and bright. Flash forward to today...they're still my very favorite accents in our home.  And if I were a betting woman (I play Texas Hold 'Em with coins but I don't think that counts) I would put money this: anything purchased at again & again will be your favorite piece in the home, too. Whether in excellent or gently-loved condition, all of Pritchard's pieces have great bone structure, stylish lines and will look fabulous in your home as-is or with a minor face-lift of paint, upholstery or new hardware. 

Make sure to check out their spacious new diggs in the Dallas Design District!  Want deals and steals? Check out their page on facebook and become a fan!

misSOni EXCITED about Missoni for Target

Little Ms. Marina at all the way up here brings us (or just me if I'm late on this info) some too-good-to-be-true news. Missoni is set to debut their new 400 piece line for Target on September 13th! Am I the only one out there giddy with glee, day dreaming of the glorious morning I show up 30 minutes early, eager for those red Target doors to open and clouds to part, revealing a completely in-stock and fantastically affordable Missoni selection????  I apologize for my excitement, but I've been in love with a certain Missoni throw for a while now. However, my spending habits have gone from splurging unnecessarily to spending almost all my "me" money on one handsome, little toddler. It may not be the one I've had my eye on, but getting my hands (and my funds) on any one of those iconic zig-zag throws will do just fine. 

See a sneak peak of the goodies coming our way next month!

fashionable philanthropy

Do you love the catwalk? Can you barely afford the plethora of fashion mags delivered each month to your front door? Do you live in Dallas and support your local arts? Well, then...you're just the gal I want to talk to!
The Dallas Children's Theater Cabaret Gala 2011 is upon us (September 24th) and you've got a stylish way to show your chic support. Tomorrow night, get your cutie pa-tootie over to Tootsies for Mariah Moses on the catwalk! Bring a crisp, green $20 (or bring several) for your very own raffle ticket. Proceeds benefit the DCT Theater Cabaret Gala, meaning you have the perfect, feel-good excuse to blow your allowance on all those tickets you buy. You may just leave with a bag full of swag. Not to mention, feeling oh-so charitable.

House of Ahab

From my recent post on YouPlusDallas Lakewood

photo courtesy of dmagazine

Ahab Bowen, a Dallas staple for vintage clothing and accessories, might have closed their Oak Lawn doors after 35 years of business, but for those of us in Lakewood, there’s reason to celebrate. Owner, Michael Longcrier, isn’t getting out of the game completely. And that’s good news for us, folks. Looks like these one-of-a-kind gems will be heading over into our neck of the woods.

East Dallas hipster hotspot, Dolly Python, will soon carry Ahab Bowen’s eclectic assortment of timeless styles, keeping Longcrier’s dream and hobby, alive. Gretchen Bell, owner of Dolly Python and former Ahab Bowen employee, learned the business first-hand from Longcrier. The two are reuniting, giving vintage-lovers’ (and East Dallas locals) reason to cheer.  Looks like it’s out with the old, and in with the…old. And I, for one, couldn’t be more excited. 

a chilling image

image via nadjaseale.com

oh the weather outside is frightful. frightfully hot. let's all think chilly thoughts, shall we? i hope your wednesday is cool.